Yates Linked to 'The Hobbit'; Del Toro to Announce Next Project at Comic-Con

Just two weeks after Guillermo del Toro announced that he will no longer be directing 'The Hobbit,' sources are telling Deadline that Warner Bros. and MGM, the two studios behind the project, are still trying to get Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson to take over. In fact, sources say that the studios will continue to pursue Jackson, who co-wrote the screenplays, until they hear a definite no.

Meanwhile, though it's said to be just a rumor, /film is reporting that David Yates, the man behind the last few 'Harry Potter' films, is the top choice to replace del Toro.